One of the issues with being a young female pop star, I imagine, is that you are somehow supposed to represent all the women in the planet with whatever you do. The way you dress, your dance moves, your hair, your album artwork, your band logo, it all comes under intense scrutiny.
Sabrina Carpenter's latest album artwork got everyone talking this week, as she released an image of her kneeling down wearing a little black dress and heels with her hair being tugged at by what looks like a male hand. She also released an image of a dog with a collar saying 'Man's Best Friend' – the name of the album, but no one is talking about the dog.
Some people are calling the artwork "triggering", others think it's "tacky and disappointing" or "tone deaf". Some even went as far to call it "disgusting".
Others think the artwork is a clever play on control in the music industry. "This is feminism, she's empowered and in control" said one commenter on Instagram.
My editor asked me to write something on the controversy and the blunt truth is that I really don't care what Sabrina Carpenter does either way. I don't think the way that one woman chooses to portray herself should affect me, or feminism.
Though I do realise that moments like these do have an impact on culture. It's just that this particular moment doesn't really grab me.
I do think that Sabrina is smart for releasing something that has made headlines though. After all, who wants a boring piece of cover art? Everyone is talking about Man's Best Friend, and that's only got to be good for sales.
I wouldn't say I'm a huge Sabrina fan but I am more interested in the music she is putting out rather than what she's wearing or doing. Though I'm not saying I'm completely immune to a bit of speculation about album artwork – Taylor Swift's Reputation (Taylor's version) is one example.
damn I didn’t know @SabrinaAnnLynn was such a fan of Smell The Glove from Spinal Tap. solid homage. pic.twitter.com/wXclQWTwaxJune 11, 2025
On the Creative Bloq team, the response to Sabrina's Man's Best Friend cover has also been rather indifferent. One person compared the cover to fictional band Spinal Tap's Smell The Glove, and I have to say that once seen, you cannot unsee it.
Some sources have gone as far as to suggest that Sabrina's aunt, Nancy Cartwright, has worked with Spinal Tap performer Harry Shearer for decades on The Simpsons, so maybe the album is a homage to Smell The Glove?
And then once I think of Smell The Glove my mind immediately goes to the iconic cover for The Strokes Is This It? Which I think is a great example of a titillating cover that doesn't give away too much.
Either way, I don't think Man's Best Friend imagery is hugely memorable in terms of the great album cover artwork of our time, nor do I think it's particularly controversial or meaningful.
Maybe Sabrina just felt like creating that pose and so chose to do so? Maybe she was pushed into it by her record company. Maybe she doesn't care either and the joke's on us for writing about it.
For more great artwork, see our favourite poster designs and the typography lessons learned from music videos.
